Spirited Ride (6 page)

“That’s what I mean, buddy,” Chuck said to the boy and bumped fists with him.

One more thing that hadn’t changed in this little town… they still played just as hard as they worked.

When another young man stepped up to the makeshift competition table, TJ stepped forward, pulled some money out of the front of his jeans and said, “I’ve got five on the kid.”

“Yeah, I’m in on that action,” another man said also stepping forward with money.

The blonde man standing near the boy shook his head as though he didn’t think it was good idea while Chuck fished around in his pocket for some money as well and laughing said, “You’re going to fit right in around here, TJ.”

Bobby approached him and held his hand out to him. “Welcome back, man. It’s good to see you.”

He shook Bobby’s hand and the next wrestling match was soon underway. With each adult the young boy beat at arm wrestling the noise level grew as well.

“What
are
you people doing?” Meredith asked from the doorway.

TJ nearly jumped out of his skin as did several of the other men standing around. The young boy jumped up from the table and ran over to the very pregnant and currently disapproving woman and gently hugged her and said, “We’re working off my extra energy, sis.”

“If mom catches you guys, it won’t be pretty. You’re one of my favorite brothers but I will not cover for you or even my husband,” Meredith said looking pointedly at Chuck. Then glancing around at the rest of the men she continued. “Shouldn’t you guys be working or training our newest employee or doing
something
besides contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”

“Come on, man. I’ll show you the paint bay,” Chuck said with a laugh and a wink for Meredith as he walked past TJ.

TJ followed behind Chuck but not before noticing Meredith walking away with the young boy, running her hands through his hair in a motherly fashion.

He’d missed the camaraderie between close friends. It had been a long time since he’d felt like one of the group rather than an outsider trying to be part of the ‘in’ crowd. He hadn’t realized that he’d been suffering with a case of homesickness all these years.

“Since you don’t officially start until tomorrow, I’ll just give you a tour of the garage for now. You’ll be spending most of your time in here though,” Chuck said, opening the door to a large room at one end of the building and then turning on the light inside.

The room was long and narrow but broken up into sections by long black plastic flaps that acted as doorways from one area to the next. The outer walls of the section nearest the entry door contained built in overhead shelves that stored everything one would need to paint a car or motorcycle.

Chuck opened one and pulled out ventilation masks from within and handed one to him and then donned the other one himself.

Moving past the first set of flaps, he was led into a room that contained a long counter and several hooks where parts of a bike could be hung, balanced or turned for the detail work required on a paint job.

TJ stopped to admire some of the items that had already been completed and were waiting on a finishing coat. An overhead ventilation fan competed with a blasting radio somewhere past the final doorway.

He followed Chuck through the last set of flaps to find a couple of guys working on the primer for one gas tank and speckling for another. The guys both waved at him and Chuck. He nodded back at them and then followed Chuck back out to the very front where they’d come in.

After putting the masks away they went back out to the main bay area where Chuck showed him all the other sections of the operation.

“I’ve got some other work to finish up and then I need to get Meredith home but I’ll see you first thing in the morning and give you a rundown of the jobs we’ve got in the works,” Chuck said. Then he gave TJ a funny look.

“What?” he finally asked when Chuck continued to stare at him.

“You seem to fit in here so well that I’m just trying to figure out why you left in the first place, that’s all,” Chuck replied.

“Long story short, I had to try and make it or I’d have always wondered what if…” he replied. “I know that probably makes no sense… seeing that I’m right back where I started from.”

“What about Sherri, though?” Chuck asked.

“Well… all things considered… she was right… I didn’t make it in the music business. Failing would have been a little easier to take had she at least been on my team and not counted me out before I even started,” he replied. “I guess this new guy of hers is a little less of a dreamer… a little more predictable… so I’m sure that works better for her.”

“Chris may be annoying as shit but as far as I can tell he’s decent,” Chuck replied as though defending either Sherri or Chris or both.

“That’s good. I’m glad to hear he’s not using or dealing anymore. I wish them both all the best… really,” he replied. The puzzled look on the younger man’s face told TJ that Chris’ shady past was news to Chuck. “I’ll see you in the morning, man.”

With that TJ walked out of the open garage bay and headed for his car. Chuck would have to make up his own mind and opinions about him. That didn’t mean that if given the chance TJ wouldn’t impart information to him that he would need to make an informed decision about whether to hate him because of Sherri or not. Right now he only had whatever Sherri may have told him to go on.

Chuck seemed like a smart guy so he had to know there were always two sides to a story. In this case there was Sherri’s side and the truth.

The truth being that she hadn’t believed in him… hadn’t been willing to look beyond her own dreams and goals to support his.

As for Chris Anderson, TJ had no vested interest in the man either way but one only had to do a background check to find out the shady details of his life. So it wasn’t like TJ was lying or just spreading rumors about him.

Bobby, Tommy and Dickie knew him from before Sherri so they knew he wasn’t the scumbag that Sherri probably made him out to be. In time, hopefully some of the others would give him the benefit of the doubt and get to know him. Form their own judgments about what kind of person he was.

In the meantime he needed this job… needed this change in his life… so he was prepared to deal with preconceived notions.
And Sherri.

TJ managed to make it back to the apartment complex, fill out the application and then drive over to a small motel on the other side of town that should have been shut down years ago.

After renting a room and then unloading some of the things from the trunk that he would need until he was approved for the apartment, he decided to finish his drive around town along with his trip down memory lane.

The week that followed had him moving into an apartment, furnishing it with a few garage sale and consignment shop pieces of furniture along with the few items he’d managed to pack up and bring with him from Nashville.

Working at the shop wasn’t making music by any means but it would have to do and he at least enjoyed the guys he worked with. When Friday rolled around, Bobby went ahead and paid him for the week so he’d have a little bit of money to live off of until his first official payday hit.

With the weekend stretched out ahead of him, he was surprised that rather than heading back to his little apartment to take stock of what he had and what he still needed, he found himself in the parking lot of the bar.

He knew why he was there and he should be ashamed but he wasn’t. Having avoided the little bar and grill all week… existing on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and apples… had done little for his appetite for
her
.

Forget the fact that she could feed him a decent meal, he just wanted to sit quietly in a corner and watch her. It had been so long… and no one fired his soul the way that Sherri did.

It was a public place and he was a paying customer… she couldn’t ask him to eat his meal or drink his beer on the sidewalk out front.

Stepping inside the door his gaze immediately went to the bar. Finding what they were after, his eyes met hers and held. He stared her down for nearly a full minute before she finally looked away and began clearing empty glasses.

Walking over to the bar, he sat on one of the stools and looked around the place. She wasn’t doing the lousy business he’d seen the first time he’d come in but the place wasn’t hopping like it had been when he and Tommy were playing here.

“Can I take your order?” she asked, finally approaching him.

Looking away from the freshly painted walls, updated pictures and decorations, as well as the new booths and tables she’d installed since he’d left to where she stood, he said, “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

Frowning at his effort to strike up conversation and his overall niceness, she said, “Sometimes change is a good thing. Now what can I get you?”

“Change huh? You’ve changed as well… looking pretty good these days, Sherri,” he said with a smile.

She sucked in a breath and her frown went from mere irritation at his presence to downright scorn and she said, “You look exactly the same.”

“So you’re saying I still look like I’m in my twenties?” he said with a grin, an obvious attempt to flirt with her.

“You could say that… or you could say that you look outdated. I mean seriously… the eighties called and they want their hair back,” she replied dryly.

Now that right there was why he’d come in here tonight. He could feel the smile spread across his face and his cheeks began to ache from the feel of long unused muscles. God she was hot when she tried to blow him off…
or defied him.

Forcing memories of the way she looked when she would finally give in to him, he simply smiled and said, “I need it… sometimes people like to run their fingers through it… or even pull it occasionally.”

The gasp escaped that sweet mouth before she could rein it in. She had been unprepared for the gall he showed in bringing up some of their more intimate moments within minutes of being in her presence. His smile widened even more.

He could feel the heat of anger coming off of her in waves but she remained calm and instead leaned down so she was closer to him, where there was less of a chance of being overheard.

Then she said, “Might want to be more careful with all that dirty talk around here… might offend someone. I’d hate to see someone snatch you bald… even if it did bring your looks into the new millennium. Now order or I’m going to have to ask you to move over to a booth so that there’s room here for
paying
customers.”

“I’ll take whatever’s on draft, a cheeseburger and fries,” he started.

Before he could continue, she just walked away. She may or may not realize it but that was the second time she’d simply walked away from him while he was still talking to her and to him that was like a challenge.

It was a challenge of his worth, a challenge to the value of his words and most of all a challenge to his manhood.

He felt himself grow hard as though to prove her wrong on all levels. Ten years ago he would’ve chased after her, drug her through the kitchen and out the back exit of the bar. He’d have pressed her against the side of the building and…

Plunking down his beer on the counter she leaned in close and said, “Did I cut you off while you were still talking? I’d hate to lose your business but I’d understand if you wanted to leave…”

Smiling he said, “No… I don’t want to leave. In fact, I may stay for dessert.”

Ignoring him wasn’t working. She rarely drank while on the clock but she desperately wanted a shot of something strong that burned a path down her throat and heated her belly. Sherri could feel him looking his fill of her as a dog might stare at a steak and it was hard not to stare back at him.

Why did he have to look so good after all these years? His hair was outdated by today’s standards but it not only worked for him, it seemed to add to his good looks. She noticed a few girls at one of the booths eyeing him and whispering.

He took his damn sweet time eating his food and drinking his beer. When he’d finished he put his car keys on the bar but then got up and walked outside. She hated the fact that she knew he had walked out, not because he hadn’t paid his bill yet, but because she was that aware of him and what he was doing every second while in her presence.

The girls in the booth giggled amongst themselves as they watched him leave and one of them even fanned her face as though she was over heated.

A few minutes later he returned with his acoustic guitar in his hand and it was like experiencing déjà vu to the first time she’d ever seen him.

As if he owned the place he walked back over to the bar and picked up his empty beer glass and shook it at her, indicating he was ready for another one. Hot anger shot down her neck and she found herself marching toward him.

Snatching the glass out of his hand she said, “Sorry but this isn’t Nashville. Around here we pay for dinner with cash not a song...”

Taking his wallet out of his back pocket he set it on the counter and grinning at her, said, “Here you go. The song is your
tip
. Unless you’d like me to work that portion of my bill off another way…”

“Oh hell no… I learned my lesson on that mess years ago,” she replied.

Winking at her, he then walked away heading for an empty area of the bar, guitar in hand. She hoped he would get bored of irritating her and just go… perhaps to whatever bridge or pier he was calling home these days.

Instead he was content to sit there and strum his guitar and sing along with the songs playing on the jukebox. So as not to offend her other patrons by her rudeness toward him, since the girls in the booth had decided to hang around and continue watching his antics, she eventually took him another beer.

Once the jukebox ran out of change and shut off, he took to playing and singing in place of it.

Just as he’d probably expected, people hung around longer than they would have normally. Though he was as good for sales as he ever was, she wanted him gone before the sight and sound of him was imprinted on her brain too deeply.

After his ten year hiatus she’d only been able to conjure up images if she both wanted to and tried real hard. Seeing him now in all his charismatic glory, she just wanted to chase him out of the bar using his guitar as the weapon with which to do so.

Did he think that since it had worked so well on her the first time, that now that he was back in town and low on options for a bed partner, he’d just repeat the past and she’d come running?
Wrong
.

He might be good to look at and even better in bed but a second chance at the heartache of a lifetime wasn’t on her list of good times. This time he’d be slinking back under the rock he crawled out of…
alone
.

Every song he sang seemed to either have sexual connotations to it, were love songs he used to sing to her, or were just ones he knew she liked.

Each one made her angrier than the last since taking off to another state with another woman with no word from him for a decade wasn’t just something she was going to forgive because he sang a couple of songs.

No matter how good he looked doing it… with his long hair whipping around and a look on his face as though he was making love to the music. He was delusional if that’s all he thought it would take.

When it became obvious that he was about done being the center of attention for one evening, she laid his bill on top of his wallet after having written herself a fifteen percent gratuity. It was a childish effort to let him know what she thought of his proposed ‘tip.’

Only after he finally left did she realize that though she hadn’t ended up in his bed this time, he still had the upper hand because she’d dignified him with a response and attention. She’d do better at just ignoring him the next time.

Unfortunately she had many chances over the next couple of weeks to ignore him and failed miserably each and every time. Just like the first time he’d blown into her life, he was developing a local following… mostly women who bought him beers or even dinner.

It was disgusting, really, how they giggled at him. A few of them she was tempted to ask if they realized he was about ten years older than he looked but knew that would sound petty or really jealous so she refrained.

The bad part was that he had started
performing
nearly every night and showed no signs of going away anytime soon. The extra business he brought in for the bar allowed her to comfortably afford Lindsey’s help so she couldn’t really ask him to stop. She couldn’t seem to get away from him no matter where she went.

When she went to the shop to pick Lilly up for lunch, he was there with his good looks and blatantly sexual stares. Last weekend she’d went to Gretchen’s twelfth birthday party and surprise, surprise… he was there too. It was as though she couldn’t turn around without running into him.

Her whole group of friends seemed to have just accepted TJ back into the fold and he was doing all he could to ensure his place amongst them between the favors, errands and small gifts he was constantly bestowing upon them. She’d never been one to trash talk about other people but she really wanted to where he was concerned.

Unfortunately, she didn’t feel like she could bash him to the group and Gina had something or other going on every time she called to try and unload on her. So the only person on her side that she could dump her frustrations on regarding TJ… was Chris.

In an effort to either judge the situation for himself or to try and scare TJ away, Chris had even come to the bar a couple of times. This merely seemed to spur TJ on.

Well, enough was enough. Today she was going to take matters into her own hands.

It was past time to let him know that whatever he hoped to achieve by hanging out at the bar or being a step behind her no matter where she went had done nothing more than piss her off.

Becca Waters-Long was a force to be reckoned with in court and just so happened to be someone TJ didn’t know before he left town ten years ago… before he left her. Sherri had a song for
him
… D-I-V-O-R-C-E!

Upon entering Becca’s little office in the middle of town, she was greeted by another one of Chuck’s interns who sat behind an old style metal desk that appeared to have seen its better days.

If Becca’s name wasn’t so widely recognized as one of the top defense attorneys in the country, one would think she was either fresh out of law school or not very good at what she did based on the furniture in her office. Those who knew her knew it was because she’d essentially given up her high-class lifestyle and practice to follow her heart.

“Hey, what brings you in here?” Becca asked stepping out of her office.

“Do you have a few minutes?” she asked in return.

“Absolutely, come on in,” Becca replied with a smile, holding her inner office door open.

Once they were both settled she said, “I need your help. I want to divorce TJ. I should have done it years ago but… out of sight… out of mind I guess.”

Becca eyed her in that curious way of hers that seem to indicate that she needed more information, so Sherri continued, “I figure he left me… moved out of state and I hadn’t heard from him in ten years until just recently so I should be able to keep the house and the bar straight up. I shouldn’t have to share my assets just because he’s apparently fallen on hard times.”

Pulling out a piece of paper, Becca slid it across the top of her desk and said, “Stop there… before we go any further I have to tell you that I advised TJ in the past on another issue that could inadvertently create a conflict of interest for me where your case is concerned.”

“What issue?” she asked.

Frowning at her, Becca said, “You know I can’t tell you that. However, since I can’t divulge that information and it could potentially be an area of conflict should this become a contested divorce rather than just a disillusion of the marriage, I’m afraid I can’t take your case.”

What the holy hell? She was banking on Becca to be her ace in the hole… her winning hand against TJ and all that he symbolized… heartache being at the top of that list. It was like a parent telling you that you were
not
the favorite child.

Somehow it felt like the smug son of a bitch had known that… hence his recent visits to the bar. Stumped, angry and hurt she sat for several minutes trying to wrap her head around this latest revelation and figure out what to do now.

“Okay, so you can’t represent me but if I were to ask you generic questions regarding the law… can you answer those? As my
friend?
” she finally asked.

Using her fingers, Becca shoved the piece of paper a little closer to her. Picking it up Sherri read it and though it was in legalese, she caught the gist of the document. Essentially by signing it, she acknowledged that Becca had made her aware that a conflict of interest existed and therefore she wouldn’t be able to represent either party involved.

It went on to advise that any information that Sherri was to glean from Becca by way of casual conversation outside of a professional setting and then use, Becca could not and would not be responsible for.

Looking up from the paper she held, Sherri couldn’t help but appreciate the older woman’s cunning. Reaching nearly all the way across Becca’s desk, she grabbed a pen, signed the document and then set both items back down.

Then before Sherri could say anything more, Becca stood up and went to the door to her office and asked the intern out front to come and notarize the document. Once that had been done, she pulled a small hand held recorder out of her desk drawer and turned it on.

“So you want to file for a divorce from TJ because he abandoned you and your marriage?” Becca asked with a wink. “I’m sorry I can’t help you but you know that I’m here for you as your friend… always.”

Then Becca waved her hand as though to indicate that Sherri should say something. So Sherri said, “It’s okay… I understand. I’m the one who finished paying the mortgage on that house while he was gone and the loan for the bar too. So I’m praying that the judge will take that into consideration and let me keep both. We could have the house appraised and then I could buy him out if it’s worth more than I’ve dumped into it. I mean, I shouldn’t have to share the rewards of my hard work with someone who I haven’t even heard from in a decade… until he fell on hard times.”

Becca smiled at her and then sat forward and said, “Sherri… you’re family to me so I only say this out of love for you. Give it a month before you do anything. Take some time to make sure that this is really what you want. Don’t act out of anger and malice or you may come out on the losing end of more than just the divorce. After all, as you mentioned, the property is in his name only… left to him by his grandmother. So just because you and I may feel that you receiving both the property and the bar are the fair and just outcome in this instance… a judge may not see it that way.”

Sitting back, Becca then winked at her. Becca was telling her, without saying it outright, that this wasn’t going to be as easy as it should be. The look on Becca’s face told her that there was more to this that she wanted to say… but couldn’t.

Not wanting to make things harder on Becca than they already were by truly putting her in the middle of her and TJ’s bullshit she said, “Another month isn’t going to matter… I want this divorce… it’s been a long time coming.”

“I mean, he left town with another woman when singing in some Podunk bar just wasn’t exciting enough for him! Then when his plans of making it big didn’t pan out, he wants to come crawling home. I hate that fame and fortune passed him by, but that is
so
not my problem,” she finished with a sigh.

A look of surprise passed Becca’s face before she quickly shuddered it. Having seen the expression, Sherri just had to know what the woman was thinking… or at least needed a clue as to what it was that she wasn’t privy to. Trying to appear nonchalant, she relaxed back into the chair she sat in and looked at her friend for a moment before looking away.

“What are you thinking? Do you thinking I’m being unreasonable?” Sherri finally asked. A moment of silence passed while Becca contemplated what she wanted to say against what she could legally say.

“Look, I wasn’t around back when you two got together. However, seeing the two of you together at Gretchen’s party was kind of strange. On the one hand you two are like fire and gasoline… hot, explosive and out of control when in each other’s presence. On the other hand you’re like cake and ice cream in that you seem to belong together,” Becca said.

Then looking thoughtful she added, “Have you contemplated the idea that along with how much you’ve changed in the past decade… that maybe he has too? A divorce won’t give you the closure you think it will… trust this old woman on that. You loved him once…
you married the man.
There is no evidence that the relationship was abusive in any way.”

“From where I sit… I see two people whose dreams just took them in different directions. Now… for whatever reason… time, circumstances, dumb luck or maybe even fate has put you both back in the same box once again. I’m just saying that before you get back out of the box, close the lid and put him away in the closet, that you make sure that it’s what you really want. That you have a clear understanding of why you want it as well as what part you played in spilling the contents of the box to begin with. Otherwise, all other relationships you have, going forward, will start with pieces and parts that belong in the TJ Simons box,” Becca finished.